TeamDykeman Blog

On October 25, 2020 I will be running my 10^th Marine Corps Marathon to honor Captain Philip J. Dykeman USMC KIA Iraq.  This year is a virtual marathon.  There will not be the normal 60,000 other runners, the thousands of Marines, and 500,000 spectators.  I will not be running through our nation’s capital.  I will be running on the Raleigh Greenway,  starting at Falls of Neuse River Dam at 7 am, and ending at D’s Bottle Shop in Wakefield Plaza around Noon!  I will Run when I can, Walk when I need to , Crawl if I have to, But I will finish.  I am still not a Marine, but I run for one and his family.  This year we due to the circumstances we were unable to have our annual golf tournament.  It is a time for family and friends to come together, play golf, drink beer, and spend quality time together.  But it is our biggest fund raiser of the year.  Even though we have not brought in any scholarship money yet this year, we proudly awarded the Team Dykeman Scholarships to graduating Seniors and also students entering the military.  We do give special treatment to those entering the Marines!

If you can join me on Sunday to cheer me on, I would greatly appreciate it.  I need all the support I can get.

Even more importantly, please consider donating the Team Dykeman this year.  We need to keep this Scholarship going.

Here is the link to the Go Fund Me:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ggsxnb?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1

Thank you for all of your support.

Love to All,

Cousin Andrew

abateman@trisure.com

Good Morning Team Dykeman!

I hope you and your Families are doing well and having a great start to the fall.  In 100 hours the Marine Corps Marathon and MC 10K will start.  OCTOBER 27^th 2019   https://www.marinemarathon.com/ This is the 11^th year the Team Dykeman is running.  We have 3 runners for the Marathon and 3 runners for the 10k!  Team Dykeman is and forever will never forget.  We will continue to honor Captain Philip J Dykeman and his ultimate sacrifice in Iraq.  Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him.

Last year at the 10^th anniversary, a legend was born!  We had a young person, age 18,  step up, without any training, run the full Marathon.  The longest he had run was 2 miles.  He consistently went to the gym, but was not a runner.  For the rest of his life, he is a Marathoner(no one can ever take that away from him)  I could not be prouder of Ben Handly!   He is now and forever will be The Man, The Myth, the Legend!  We all have great stories and memories of running and coming together, but this is clearly one of the best!

This year we have Brian Lesh, Bryan Staffey, and Rachel running the marathon again.  Julie and Alyssa and I are running the 10K.  We will be enjoying all of Washington DC.

Please consider donating to Team Dykeman this year.  If you have in the past Thank you!  If you want to again, Please.  If you haven’t made a donation, please reach out to me.  It is very easy.  Every dollar goes to the Scholarship in Captain Philip Dykeman’s honor.  The Golf Tournament this last summer was a success, and we look forward to announcing the dates for 2020!  We will make golf Great Again!

Each year we give a scholarship out to graduating seniors and to students joining the Military.  We are proud to do this, and promise to continue.

Thank you for all of your support for Team Dykeman!  Please give your thoughts and prayers to all of the runners traveling and running this weekend.  Godspeed, and may the wind always be at your back!

Always Faithful,

Cousin Andrew.

Please check out Team Dykeman on Facebook.  And also support Run N Tri Outfitters (in Wake Forest NC) Last year they donated all of the Team Dykeman t-shirts!  Thank you to Bryan Staffey for your support and your Service!

Good Morning.  Hope you are having a great start to your day.  Team Dykeman is a Non-Profit organization that’s sole purpose is not to forget.   Never forget the sacrifice Captain Philip Dykeman USMC KIA Iraq gave along with his family.  Captain Dykeman was killed in action in Iraq in 2008.  This is the 10^th Memorial Anniversary.  We raise money for a scholarship in his name.

Last year his son Austin graduated High School with Honors and received the Scholarship last year.  One of the proudest moments of my life.  Team Dykeman also gave away multiple $500 awards to graduating students entering the Military.  Many used the money so their families could travel for their graduation from Basic Training!

On October 28^th Team Dykeman will be running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC.  We will have 14 runners this year!  These runners are traveling at their own expense, have trained for the last 5 months, just to honor Captain Dykeman and his family.

Please help support Team Dykeman.  You can give you check to Andrew Bateman or any of the runners.  If you would like to mail your check made out to Paul V. Moore HS Endowment Fund, Please send to:

Central Square School District
Attn: Mrs. Lisa Fox
642 South Main Street
Central Square NY  13036

Make sure in the memo please note “Team Dykeman” on the check

This will be my 13^th  marathon in 10 years.  I went from the couch to marathon in under 3 months for the first one.  I didn’t stop running for 10 years.  Captain Dykeman was way more than my cousin.  His Mom and my Mom were twins, we grew up very close.  Stayed in constant contact throughout our lives.  I introduced him to his wife and am the Godfather to one of the twins!  He was truly a very special person.  This will be my last Marathon.  I will be running the Marine Corps 10K next year.  I challenge the younger generation to start running with Team Dykeman.  Start with the 10K and work up to the Marathon!  We will be there every year!

Team Dykeman has amazing supporters.  I can’t thank you enough.   Without your support it wouldn’t have worked out.  We have given out Scholarships every year because of your support.  The runners will do their part and run in the honor of Captain Dykeman.  Please continue to support Team Dykeman!

The runners are a special breed!  Marathons are usually a bucket list item and its scratched off never to be done again.  This is a group of world class athletes that run with me every year because they believe in what we are doing.  It is greater than us!  I never could have run without you!  Thank you for being my teammates on this adventure.

We are going to CHARGE The DISTRICT, BEAT the BRIDGE and TAKE the IWO!  Are you ready!  I know I am .

I am not a Marine , but we have two Marines, But we all run for one!

Always Faithful

Cousin Andrew!